So, its been a while since the last time I watched No Country for Old Men... not gonna lie, I forgot just how thought provoking that film was. What is everyone's opinion on the ending, not just the last scene, but just prior to that as well?

Tommy Lee Jones is talking to an out of town Sheriff and he tells him that Chigurh has walked right back into a crime scene in the past. He says, "How do you defend against it?" This gets Jones thinking and he decides to go back to the motel crime scene that night. When he gets there, he walks up to the door and he sees that the lock is punched out, then we see Chigurh standing behind the door, against the wall, waiting... Jones opens the door and it thuds against the wall... a check of the room... nothing...

What is everyone's interpretation of this scene? I got into a debate with the people I was watching it with. Some said he was like ghost (they referenced the scene when Brolin shoots at Chigurh, but Chigurh somehow escapes without being seen into a dark alley and that very few people know Chigurh by sight). I think it was in Jones's mind and he imagined him being there... and just coming off the conversation with the other deputy, it set it in his mind that he would be there. I think Chigurh was there earlier, as evidence by the lock punched out and the vent parts and change on the ground... Chigurh got the money. Since the window was locked and there was no one in the room... Chigurh obviously wasn't there. Someone said he didn't check under the bed or in a closet... well, Chigurh isn't one that is afraid of confrontation. He would have killed him. He wouldn't just run and hide under the bed.

Jones's character is so good and so layered. It's incredibly written and extremely well acted. Since his father died in the line duty as a younger man and since he makes reference of older lawmen and their fearless attitude (not even pulling out their guns or even wearing a gun, which is not fearless, but ********), he's always measuring himself against them. I think he thinks he's a coward. He has a line about God, and Him not coming into his life. He then says that He would probably have the same opinion he does of himself.

With that I said, I think that scene shows his fears. Before he walked into that motel room, he was scared that he might meet something that he doesn't understand. I've seen the movie over half a dozen times now, but this was the first time where it looked there was a giant sigh of relief from Jones' body once the door smacks up against the wall. His gun kinda drops to his side. Almost as if, without saying it, that he was happy he didn't meet Chigurh while he was there.

Pretty great ******* movie.

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Originally Posted by Scott Wright

I honestly believe Reggie Bush has turned into exactly the type of player I envisioned.

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Originally Posted by PossibleCabbage

I would like it if there were more successful black Quarterbacks in the NFL...

Quote:

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

iamcandian lives in a cabin in the Yukon Territory and writes letters to railroad barons about the price of hard tack.

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Originally Posted by GatorsBullsFan

I could possibly see Matthew Stafford Dropping out of the 1st round

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Originally Posted by GoRavens

Tahj Boyd has the best fundamentals of any QB in this class, I think his game translates great to the NFL.

my scent?...like making love to a lumberjack
<TACKLE> i will ngata give you a bj raji
<+BOE> Scott, with Burfict's character concerns (whether legit or not) you think Pioli would draft him. :D
<+ScottWright> Why not. Baldwin does need a sparring partner...

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Originally Posted by Hermstheman83

What's with the hate on Ricky Stanzi? Those youtube clips of him with the hulk hogan theme music instantly make him better than Luck.

I find Heigl attractive. Then again I'm a sucker for blonds with big boobs.

Also, did I see someone say Observe and Report was better than 40 Year Old Virgin? **** that. I didn't hate O&R, but it was just meh. More chuckling than actual laughing. I can still watch 40YOV to this day and laugh my ass off even though I've seen it a bajillion times.

I find Heigl attractive. Then again I'm a sucker for blonds with big boobs.

Also, did I see someone say Observe and Report was better than 40 Year Old Virgin? **** that. I didn't hate O&R, but it was just meh. More chuckling than actual laughing. I can still watch 40YOV to this day and laugh my ass off even though I've seen it a bajillion times.

40YOV is lightyears ahead of Observe and Report, which was just a terrible film in every sense of the word.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Goosemahn

The APS is strong in this one.

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Originally Posted by killxswitch

Tears for Fears is better than whatever it is you happen to be thinking about right now.

40YOV is lightyears ahead of Observe and Report, which was just a terrible film in every sense of the word.

I think I am in the minority in this one, but I like the way Observe and Report works. To me its a case study of a mentally insane person who wants the power of a police officer. I believe that many in the police force exist like this. It's obviously exaggerated but it's a real and dangerous profile of those who choose the (easy) career path of police officer for the wrong reason.

I like the comparison to Taxi Driver, it's just that Jody Hill is nowhere near talented enough to pull off as a director to do what I think his intention was, and combine that with the studio pressuring him to make it in a comedy to market to the Superbad/40 YOV/knocked up crowd and you get a messy movie.

I've been waiting for Kick-Ass for a long time. I'm really excited for it. Plus it's directed by Matt Vaughn, one of the most promising directors in the business. Plus you know, Mark Strong is the ****.

Fun fact, did you know that the main character (Aaron Johnson), who is like 19-20, is engaged to a 42 year old director/artist/photographer/whatever who he knocked up. HA.

I've been waiting for Kick-Ass for a long time. I'm really excited for it. Plus it's directed by Matt Vaughn one of the most promising directors in the business. Plus you know, Mark Strong is the ****.

Fun fact, did you know that the main character (Aaron Johnson), who is like 19-20, is engaged to a 42 year old director/artist/photographer/whatever who he knocked up. HA.

20. Munich, 2005. (Steven Spielberg) For all the great films Spielberg has made, this seems to be his most overlooked. Maybe I'm just missing something or seeing something that no one else sees, but this is an incredibly intense portrayal of the Munich bombings. Eric Bana stars and gives one of the better performances of his career. It doesn't come close to his performance in Chopper, which the performance of a lifetime and one of the best performances of all time. This is such a great film with such a great plot. A film centered around constant assassination attempts, it's an action film that seems to never let up. Munich does have a very ending with a sex scene, involving a pregnant woman, and flashes backs of the Munich bombings. I'm not sure why the scene is shot the way it is and the purpose for having, but everything preceding that is simply astonishing filmmaking. This isn't Spielberg's best film, but we'll get to that later. It does, once again, shows that very directors have the visionary capacity of Spielberg.

19. Monster's Ball, 2001. (Marc Forster)Monster's Ball is the type of film that can be as good as you want it to be. I see a very deep film with some great characters. I see Hank (Billy Bob Thorton) as a product of a racist. This, to me, is why he hates his father (Played wonderfully by the great Peter Boyle). All the hate and the "manly" values that he stood for and instilled into his son was something Hank didn't want. Sometimes you're a product of your environment, and sometimes you're a product of the people you're closest with. The reasons Hank hates his son? That's a little harder to point out, and opinions will vary, but I think he hates his son because he has the strength to be the man that he is, in the face of two generations of hatred and ridiculous values. The son (Heath Ledger) isn't weak in that sense. He was weak because he shot himself. He is emotionally impaired from the raising that he got, which is why he can't connect with anyone. Not a hooker, not a bartender, not anybody. Ledger gives quite a good performance, and one that has gotten overlooked in his career. Hank is the weak one. Once his son kills himself he starts to change. He finds himself through his sons death. You see the act that he put on for his father slowly start diminish -- he quits his job, then starts dating a black girl, and then he gets help from his black neighbor (Mos Def, who was great by the way), and finally kicks him out of the house and puts him into a home, which his father seen as a sign of weakness. Hank no longer feels like he has to live up to his father. Hank's change is slow and methodical, but his arc isn't really a change. He, more or less, discovers who he really is -- the man much more like his son than his father. Halle Berry is also incredible and she does give the performance of her career. It's a wonderful film with an incredible ending. Leticia is in a state of depression and fear throughout the film. Her change is happiness in the midst of the worst situation of her life (the deaths of her husband and son), and it has everything to do with Hank and his impact on her. This is a great movie with some incredible performances.

18. Gladiator, 2000. (Ridley Scott)Ridley Scott's masterpiece is one of the most impressive production pieces I've ever seen. The look and design of this epic transports us back to the Roman Coliseum with astonishing realism. Russell Crowe gets top billing in this bloodthirsty film that captivates audiences, from Ancient Rome to 21st century audiences, with sheer and unrelenting violence. Joaquin Phoenix, however, gives my favorite performance of the film. Here, he is absolutely spectacular as the son of the Emperor that lusts after his own sister. He gives an incredible performance that is truly unforgettable. Russell Crowe gives a performance few Hollywood leading actors can pull off. I mean, just think of how few actors can pulls this character off. He is the biggest ******* hero in just about any movie I've ever seen. The things that asked of him to do, basically, make us believe he's capable of taking down the entire Roman Empire with a sword and a little bit of body armor, and we believe he can, because he's the ******* man, and everyone knows it. This is probably the most epic film on my list. On "real top movie lists" this would probably be replaced with an older film such as Ben-Hur. The action scenes are incredible. The story is engrossing and clear with definitive characters that you can root for and despise. This is Ridley Scott's finest achievement, I don't care what anyone says. Blade Runner doesn't come close to touching this film. Very few films can even begin to approach the ambition of this film, let alone the success of achieving that great ambition. This is a rare film, and one of the greatest production pieces ever. I love everything about it.

17. (500) Days of Summer, 2009. (Marc Webb)(500) Days of Summer is last romantic comedy on the list... and if you forgot, it's only the second. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind blew me away the second I saw and really loved. I didn't know if a rom-com could touch it. Then came one of the best films I've ever seen. Marc Webb takes an Annie Hall approach in it's stylization of of a romance. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is very good here and he some excellent chemistry with Zooey Deschanel. This is a movie that had me laughing almost thought the course of the film. It also struck a chord in me, and I really grew to appreciate their relationship and hoped that they found love, but knowing the obvious title of the film, and like all great love stories, you know the two simply can't end up being together. There are perfectly crafted scenes with incredible humor. There's a scene towards the end of the film that shows Joseph Gordon-Levitt's expectations of how his meeting with Zooey will go and on the other side of the split screen, you see how it actually goes. The differences are subtle, but gradually make for a drastically different end result. This is a great movie and I love it.

16. Taxi Driver, 1976. (Martin Scorsese)Travis Bickle is the self proclaimed, "God's lonely man." Bickle walks amongst the people on the filthy, crowded streets of New York City and loath's every second of it. Wherever he goes, he goes unnoticed; like a ghost meandering through life's morbid boredom of repetitiveness as each day endlessly runs into the next. Bickle suffers from an inability to sleep so he goes to the porno theaters after 12 hour shifts, and he still can't sleep. His mind is constantly racing as he takes various forms of pills and abuses alcohol. The former Vietnam Veteran has a damaged psyche that continues to get worse and worse as the disgust for the lowlifes of New York eat away at his consciences. The ending of the film is controversial for its vagueness and its inability to state a clear purpose of reality or fantasy. It's open to interpretation, but my understanding of the film is that it ends in reality, however, I can see how one would think it ends in fantasy, or as Bickle's dying dream. The film even hints towards a dream like state as we watch with a long running overhead shot (possibly signifying Bickle's departure from the world?) with motionless police officers. Then there's the music of a dream inducing state at the end of the scene, which is the strongest hint towards a dream like state. What we do know is that Travis Bickle takes the lives of lowlifes, degenerates, and the scum of the earth. He's treated as the hero and glorified by the media for his actions. This probably stands as De Niro' second best work to Raging Bull, and among the finest acting performances of all time.

15. The Prestige, 2006. (Christopher Nolan)Until I see Inception, I think this is Chris Nolans masterpiece. The Prestige is simply a captivating performance and the two lead actors, Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman, are both simply exceptional. Jackman's character is consumed with obsession and greed. He has everything at his disposal, everything money could buy, and then Bale's character comes along and does a trick that simply shocks and amazes audiences, and Jackman alike. How did he do it? It's impossible. He transported? Can a man do that? The revelation in how Bale comes to complete this trick then shifts the focus onto him. His character then becomes so good. Bale ends up playing two completely different people and he gives a performance that captivated me. This is a really great performance of his that tends to get overlooked for his more eye-popping transformations like in The Machinist. I've never liked Jackman, but he really turns up the heat and ends up being a great counterpart in this battle of magicians. I truly love this movie and it's the first movie that I've ever seen that forced me to watch it again... the second it was over. It's also a bit confusing, but the power and central ideas explored in this film are phenomenal. It's a technical masterpiece just as much as it a great character study of two magicians attempting to be the best and the most well known. Incredible performances all around.

14. Scarface, 1983. (Brian DePalma)Brian DePalma's epic gangster film takes a formulaic rise and fall of typical Cuban Gangster named Tony Montana. Al Pacino gives the performance of his career. This stands as one of the best acting performances ever given. A lot of people disagree with that and they say, "He was over-the-top." I usually tell them, "Thanks for stating the obvious." Pacino doesn't play his character over-the-top... Tony Montana is over-the-top. It is excessive, everything in the film is excessive. As Michelle Pfeiffer states, "Nothing exceeds like excess." Scarface redefines a genre and set the bar for any drug related film. The accuracy is simply phenomenal and revolutionize the drug underworld. It's historical achievements are often overlooked and completely disrespected by people who hate it because of it's style and substance. This is a truly incredible film that has influenced every drug scene and drug transaction since the film came out. This is considered a remake, but it's nothing like the 1932 film. This takes us right into the wave of Cuban migration in the early 80s and the drug infested world of Miami, and the effect it had on the United States. This is Brian DePalma's best film and a true masterpiece.

13. Walk the Line, 2005. (James Mangold)Walk the Line is simply put, one of my favorite movies. I love the performances. I love the acting. I love the music. Joaquin Phoenix gives the performance of a lifetime. He's one of my favorite actors and he captured Johnny Cash better than anyone I can imagine. I'm not sure if I've seen another actor do a biopic and look, walk, talk and sing so much like they person they were attempting to portray. Phoenix is sensational and gives one of the best performances I've ever seen. I loved it. The film takes on a long, rocky journey. Reese Witherspoon is also very good here and they have great onscreen chemistry that really sucks you right into the love story. Robert Patrick plays the father of Johnny Cash and this is his best dramatic performance of his career. Their relationship and how it unfolds is simply a treat to watch. This is James Mangold's masterpiece and one that I strongly believe he will never top. He's one of my favorite directors going. Anything he touches seems to be incredibly well shot, well acted and well written. Another film of his that just missed my list was Identity. That is one of my favorite mysteries. He takes an incredibly cliched film and turns it into a very original look on a serial killer with Multiple Personality Syndrome. Here he takes a straightforward biopic and let's the incredible performances unfold without any interference. This is one of the most watched films on my list. I can't even begin to count how many times I've seen it.

12. Dumb and Dumber, 1994. (Peter Farrelly)This is probably the dumbest movie on my list, but it is my favorite comedy. There is not a movie I've seen on the entire list that I've watched more. It has the greatest re-watchability I've encountered. Each and every time I watch it, I laugh my goddamn balls off. I can't over it. Jim Carrey is a comedic genius and he plays one of the best characters ever, and gives the performance of his lifetime. He's simply sensational. Jeff Daniel's has proven to be an incredible character actor over the years and he's become legendary for this very film. He's one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood and this is one of his best performances. The sheer stupidity of these guys simply never gets old. The chemistry between the two is out of this world. The performances are covered in greatness. Every little body twitch, every little quick gesture, every line is delivered with such perfection that it makes Dumb and Dumber simply perfect. It's one of the greatest movies ever made. If I catch it on TV, I'm going to stop and watch it, and I'll end up not being able to turn it off. It's hilarious. I don't think a comedy can even come close to topping it. This is a classic.

11. Heat, 1995. (Michael Mann) Heat is one of the all-time great crime films with two of the greatest actors set on opposite sides of the law. There's, a now infamous scene in a cafe between two screen legends, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, that goes from two guys talking about burglaries and robberies and one is going to catch the other. It then turns into a conversation where the end up exchanging stories of each other's dreams. You get the feeling that these two could be great friends and that there isn't much difference between the two. It is simply put a great chase film centered between great actors. This is one of the greatest movies ever made with incredible character development. A bank shootout that is incredible and an ending that even tops it. Mann created one of the greatest films ever made. This is his masterpiece. Collateral is also a great film from Mann. In both of these films he shows just how great he is at building tension. A fantastic film.

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Wright

I honestly believe Reggie Bush has turned into exactly the type of player I envisioned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PossibleCabbage

I would like it if there were more successful black Quarterbacks in the NFL...

Quote:

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

iamcandian lives in a cabin in the Yukon Territory and writes letters to railroad barons about the price of hard tack.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GatorsBullsFan

I could possibly see Matthew Stafford Dropping out of the 1st round

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoRavens

Tahj Boyd has the best fundamentals of any QB in this class, I think his game translates great to the NFL.

I find Heigl attractive. Then again I'm a sucker for blonds with big boobs.

Also, did I see someone say Observe and Report was better than 40 Year Old Virgin? **** that. I didn't hate O&R, but it was just meh. More chuckling than actual laughing. I can still watch 40YOV to this day and laugh my ass off even though I've seen it a bajillion times.